


Encyclopaedia Argollica

by VelourFanClub (toomanysorrows)



Category: Monster Girls | Monster Boys
Genre: Ethnography, Gen, In a way at least?, In-universe non fiction, Post-Apocalypse, Worldbuilding, post-post-apocalypse really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-19 10:21:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29997900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toomanysorrows/pseuds/VelourFanClub
Summary: The Encyclopaedia Argollica; Or being a true account of the inhabitants of Argoll and the lands they dwell in, by grand-lector Asrael of the order of the Eternal Sign, based on information gathered through her many travels;or: me figuring out what happens to monster girls when they actually win and there's no humans left
Kudos: 2





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, a bit of background for this whole thing. I like worldbuilding, but I also suck at it? At some point, once I've decided on the list of races, or the map or the like and I start fleshing out stuff, I get anxious and give up. So I'm trying something new with this! Every chapter is basically just me taking a kind of monster girl (usually based on the MGE, though without all the sex) and writing down an idea on where they live and what their society and culture is like. There's no specific list of which monster girls I want to use, or a map, those are things I'll make when I feel like I've created enough stuff in here. 
> 
> A warning I want to give is that, growing up on world of warcraft, I'm kind of in the camp of prioritising aesthetics when making this sort of stuff. While I welcome people pointing out possible holes in what I'm writing here so I can address them if necessary, just keep in mind that this isn't meant to be a hyperrealistic setting either, it's meant to be a bit loose and playful ^^
> 
> Also, I figured I'd write this down as an in-universe document, to hopefully make it a bit more fun to read.

Gentle reader;

Before you lies the result of many decades of travel. Like many of my sisters in the order of the Eternal Sign, I have devoted my life to the collection of knowledge. Where some of my sisters have chosen to focus on the study of plants or the movements of the stars, I chose instead to focus on us, the inhabitants of this world. During my life I have visited every corner of Argoll, and spoken with many of the locals. All the information I gathered during these travels has been assembled in this book..

Some might wonder, why write this book at all? Is what I have written here not information that can easily be acquired by asking some traders or adventurers in the marketplace? I would give three reasons to justify its existence. The first one is that what one hears from most travellers is rarely accurate. Without wishing to impugn their honour, adventurers, traders and pilgrims are all prone to telling tall tales, not to mention often uninterested in giving an unbiased account. While I am as fallible as any other and cannot claim everything in this book will be entirely correct, I have done my best to verify what I was told and see things for myself and to write it down without the influence of anger or passion. This should hopefully elevate this work above common tavern gossip.

My second reason lies in the future. As we in the order of the Eternal Sigil well know, information is easily lost to time. Much of what we know of the past is fragmentary. Records are destroyed and people forget. In the writing of this book, and its wide dispersal, I thus hope to provide a record of our time for those who come after us.

The final reason for this work is the current state of Argoll. Although the world was plunged into a period of darkness and chaos after the end of the War, it has been slowly climbing back to the light ever since. The monsters have built atop the ruins of the old world, creating new futures for themselves amidst the rubble. New gods have noticed the vacuum left in this forgotten corner of the universe and established themselves as the new deities of this world. Towns and even cities dot the once empty lands, and monsters travel throughout, whether in search of coin, knowledge or glory. Friendships are forged, art is made and goods are traded. Naturally, in this newly connected world, accurate information about our neighbours and even those living far away is vital. This book is therefore also my humble attempt to assist in the creation of a brighter future for this planet.

But enough musing on my reasons for writing this work. I now invite you, gentle reader, to follow me on my travels. It will be a long journey indeed, but hopefully an interesting one. 

_Signed: Asrael, Grand-Lector of the order of the Eternal Sign, third day of the ninth month in the year 376._

A note: Although various timescales are employed by the peoples of Argoll, our order has found it useful to employ a standardised dating method in our works. The end of the War is taken as the year zero for this calendar. Years before this date are denoted with a minus, years after it are simply given in numbers.


	2. Angels

Every journey starts from home. As such, I thought it would be a good idea to start this compendium by discussing my own people: Angels.

Without meaning to boast, we are the oldest of the peoples living in Argoll at the present time. We were created by the High God to serve her and her lieutentants and to be their representatives on this world, guiding her children. We were warriors, messagers, healers, teachers... Simply put, we were divine handymen, doing all the odd jobs.

Naturally, when the Demon Lord began her attempt to take over Argoll, we were heavily involved in its defense. We fought on the front lines of that long conflict and supported the High Gods children in their homes, keeping them on the path the High God wished for them as much as we could. But, as history has shown, it was not to be. We lost the War, and the High God left us.

The first years after the end of the conflict were a confusing matter. Without the High God, we were weakened. Some died while helping to protect the remnants of the Her children from the now triumphant monsters. Others fell during the great siege when the demons managed to destroy our old heavenly kingdom. And others simply ended their own lives, not knowing what else to do.

Realising that, at the pace things were going, our species would be extinct sooner rather than later, what remained of our leadership organised a great meeting in the old fortress of Helam, one of the few strongholds which we’d managed to maintain during the chaos. This meeting would become known as the Great Synod of 104.

There were many days of heated debate, but two crucial decisions were made at the Synod. First off, it was decided that our people should remain united under one banner. Considering we were already so few in number, internal divisions would only hasten our demise. Second, and perhaps most importantly, a course was decided for our race in this new world. The council decided that, since we'd been created to help the inhabitants of this world, we would continue to do so. Controversially, the Synod decided that the monsters that now inhabited the land were now part of the world we were supposed to protect. Whether this was done out of benevolence or practicality is something I'll leave for the historians to discuss, but ever since, although some might still have private misgivings, angels have committed themselves to this cause.

From the Synod emerged our current organisation as a people. In the past an elaborate hierarchy existed among the angels, but it was gutted in the chaos after the war, and only exists in a watered down form nowadays.

At the top of our organisation are the three Virtues, also known as the Triumvirate. While in the past there were many more angels of this rank and others above them, they were ultimately the highest-ranking members of our people to survive the War, and as such they have become our leaders. They have a stationary residence in the fortress of Helam, but maintain regular contact with the orders operating outside of this area through messengers. They can give advice or even judge any matters involving angels, whether it is brought to them or on their own initiative, and they can call all leaders of the various angelic orders to a synod in Helam, though this has only happened once since the Great Synod. Moreover, they are the only ones who know how to create new angels, a resource-intensive ritual they can only perform every few years.

Beneath the three Virtues in Helam are the various angelic orders. These are groups of angels organised around a common vision of how to improve the world. Their internal organisation varies a lot, but all have in common the divide between angels and archangels. Angels (such as yours truly) are the common rank and file of the order, whereas the archangels stand above them in the pyramid of rank and fulfill the more important functions. The ways to attain the status of archangel vary for each order, but crucially, no archangel can give another angel the powers associated with the station. Instead, a message needs to be sent to Helam explaining the reasoning for the promotion and requesting the necessary magic seal which will grant the angel their new powers. Usually, this is complied with, and in general the Triumvirate leaves the orders a great deal of autonomy, but on occasion conflicts have arisen and it is not uncommon for requests for promotion to be weaponized during such clashes. 

There are many different orders, some small, some large. I have compiled a small list of the larger, more influential ones:

\- The order of the Eternal Sign. This order (which also happens to be mine) was founded when it became clear how much knowledge was lost in the War and the chaos that followed its end. It seeks to preserve what knowledge is left, while also seeking to obtain new information through research. The order maintains a network of small abbeys throughout Argoll, so as to keep abreast of local developments as well as to conduct its research in as diverse a set of environments as possible. 

\- The order of the Blazing Sword. Seeing the chaos and bloodshed that reigned over Argoll after the war, the order of the Blazing Sword was founded to protect the innocent and fight evil where it is to be found, whether that is through opposing a corrupt monarch or beating back the mutated beasts that roam the wild. This order is somewhat controversial, and often clashes with the Virtues. New angels are only created in low numbers, and every life lost is precious. The Blazing Sword's dangerous battles are therefore often seen as irresponsible. Another point of controversy is the occasional admittance of non-angels who share the order's goals to its ranks.

\- The order of the White Seal. This order is based in Helam and they directly serve the Virtues. They are named for the white seals that mark them as the Triumvirate's representatives. Their activities vary: some serve as messengers, others help guard Helam against outside attacks and yet others form the administrative staff for the Virtues. Although they are respected for this authority, they also have a reputation as meddlesome or haughty when talking to members of the other orders. I have met many members of this order, and while they were all undoubtedly competent, I can't say the reputation is entirely unfounded. 

\- The order of the Good Shepherd. As you can imagine, a war lasting centuries with heavy use of magic on both sides has quite an impact on the environment. Habitats burned down, food chains disrupted, magical experiments on the loose... The order of the Good Shepherd was founded to help Argoll's nature recover, to bring back balance to the environment. As a result, opinions of them among monsters are sharply divided: some see them as a threat to their livelihoods by insisting on less intense exploitation of the land, whereas they have earned the gratitude of others by helping them preserve and even improve their home’s health. 

-The order of the Golden Dove. A group of diplomats, they are the most well-travelled of all angelic orders. They firmly believe in the value of cooperation and, basically, sitting down and talking things out. Whether it is the signing of trade agreements, relief efforts for a natural disaster, peace negotiations or even just the organising of festivals, it’s never a surprise for a member of this order to be involved. They do not have any significant infrastructure like most of the other orders, but instead focus on maintaining a wide network of contacts throughout the world that they can call upon if necessary. 

As said, the orders are rather autonomous, and geographically spread out. As such they vary heavily in their internal cultures, and few things can be said about angelic culture as a whole. One thing that most of us have in common however, is a love of singing. The days of heavenly choirs in our old kingdom are long gone, but whether it's the choral music in Helam or the battle songs of the order of the Blazing Sword, singing is a common pastime and it is rare to find an angel settlement where someone is not singing. Singing with others in particular is a common form of bonding. In fact, the few angels I have met who have chosen to make their way in the world outside of the orders often live of their talent as performers.


	3. Hellhounds

The Iron Plains are not a pleasant place to live by any measure. It is an arid land with a rocky soil where little more than grass and the occasional hardy tree can grow. The ancient humans who lived there employed fire magic intensively to power their foundries and forges, and as a result the area has been permanently twisted, with a heavy heat lying on the land and dark ashen clouds in the sky. The only true blessing the area has are the many mineral deposits, principally iron, from which the Plains get their name. In times past human mining towns got rich off the exploitation of these rich veins and the ruins of their settlements still dot the land.

The hellhounds, uniquely suited to the scorching heat and scarce resources of this land, constantly harassed the human miners and after the War the plains were left to them. They soon adopted a pastoralist lifestyle, gathering herds of horses, cattle and sheep and leading them around the scarce pasture of the steppes. But gradually, as the chaos of the War settled and trade resumed, outsiders once again showed interest in the iron deposits of the Plains. Soon groups of hellhounds started to repopulate the old human towns and operate their mines again. Exchanging the products of their mines for food and luxury products, the mining towns soon grew prosperous. 

It wasn’t long before a few enterprising hellhounds started gathering bands of followers, arming them with sharp axes and suits of dark plate armour. Armed in this way, and mounted on swift steppe horses, these new leaders and their retinues soon took control of the mines, pastures and oases, all vital to life on the Plains. As their power and wealth grew, they built jagged fortresses next to the mining towns that had granted them their prosperity, landmarks to intimidate anyone who would dare to challenge their new authority. 

Thus the iron queens were born, warlords ruling over the rest of hellhound society through brute force and intimidation. Controlling the surrounding land and its resources from their fortresses, anyone who wishes to use them is forced to submit to the queens and pay tribute. But their rule is built on shaky foundations. Reliant on their warriors, they have to keep them happy with a steady stream of gifts and military victories. Some iron queens have been able to build dynasties and unite vast swathes of the Iron Plains under their dominion, only for it to all crumble after a single defeat or insult. Fortune is fickle on the Plains and for every established warlord there are three more hopefuls eager to take their place. 

Hellhound cavalry is some of the best in Argoll. The retinues of the iron queens, living off the tributes of their subjects, have nothing to do except train, feast and fight wars. They are part of a unique subculture which emphasises honour and acquiring glory on the battlefield. This has its downsides, as they are prone to impetuous charges and quarrels over perceived insults can seriously disrupt group cohesion, but few would deny the effectiveness of the ferocity this breeds in them. Combine this with their ample access to iron for plate armour and weapons as well as their hardy horses and it isn’t hard to see why they are often paid to fight in the wars of their neighbours. 

Those hellhounds not part of the queens’ warbands either live in the mining towns or roam the Plains with their herds. Although both regularly meet for trade and speak the same language, there are quite a few differences between them. The town-dwellers primarily eat what they can gain through trade or farm in small gardens while the nomads mostly consume the products of their animals; The town-dwellers often enjoy dressing in fashions from the surrounding countries while the nomads dress in simple furs and leathers; The town-dwellers are eager to learn about ideas from beyond the Plains while the nomads place primacy on the wisdom of their elders; The town-dwellers think the nomads are ignorant country-dwellers while the nomads think the town-dwellers are stuck-up snobs.

Despite all these differences, all hellhounds, from the most powerful queen to the lowliest goat shepherd, place heavy importance on hospitality. Travel through the plains is dangerous and mutual help is vital for survival. There are strict codes for how visitors are supposed to act towards their hosts, and hosts have similar obligations towards their guests. For instance, a host cannot kill a guest in their home under any circumstance. However, this code needs to be rigidly adhered to, as a violation by one party absolves the other of their obligations. It is therefore recommended that anyone wishing to visit the Iron Plains carefully observe this code, or at least pack good running shoes. 

Hellhound religion is mostly animistic. In the towns, there are many shrines to the spirits of the mines. No miner would dare start a day of work before bringing an offering to these shadowy creatures, not wanting to risk angering the entities lest they get buried in a mine collapse. The herders, for their part, worship the spirits of the earth and those of the animals they keep, hoping to keep them happy so that the grass keeps growing and the cattle become strong and fat. The warriors have their own peculiar faith focused on guardian spirits. A warrior will usually take an animal like a wolf or vulture as her patron, hoping it will lend her its strength in battle and protect her from death. In return they swear to uphold ritual taboos like not consuming that creature’s flesh. 

One thing all hellhounds can agree on, however, is the reverence paid to Akaris, the lady of fountains. The Iron Plains are a dry land, where the only reliable sources of water are the wells and oases scattered across it. Water is a matter of life and death there, and this goddess who claims authority over it is naturally held in the highest regard. She is usually depicted as a tall woman with dark black skin and flowing blue garments, usually accompanied by turtles, her holy animals. As well as being the goddess of water, Akaris also rules the underworld. Hellhounds believe that while the body rots in the ground, the spirit descends into an underground realm of dark rivers and lakes to dwell with the goddess. 

Her priests, who take care of shrines near oases and live off donations from the faithful, are the only ones who can reliably challenge the authority of the iron queens, so fearful are they of incurring Akaris’ wrath. To avoid angering her they also observe strict rules when handling water. For example, it is forbidden to wash cloth or the body in a lake, so the body’s filth does not pollute it. Similarly, to throw trash into a water source is a capital offence.


End file.
